Improvement in lasts



4UNITED STATES y PATENT OFFICE.

W. L. BEARDSLEY, OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEM ENT IN vLASTS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 56,882, dated August 7, 1866.

` The nature ot' my invention consists in the arrangement of a bolt and spring, placed in the body of the last, instead ot' the instepblock, as has been the usual practice, so that said blockcan be altered or dressed down to a different size Without interfering with the locking arrangement.

It also consists in making theopening, letter D, for the entrance of the last-hook` vertically through the heel of the instep-block, in-

stead of making it transversely Jthrough the comb oi said block, according to the usual practice.

I construct my last in the ordinary manner. After the instep-block is removed I place in the body of the last the bolt B and spring C. I then attach a metallic plate to the last for the end of the bolt to Work in. This end extends through into the opening D in the block. I also attach a plate to the upper and under side of the heel of said block, with openings to correspond. The block and last are non7 pressed together, the bolt then springs up, and the instep-block is secured to the last.

When I use my improvement I rst ascertain if the instep is the proper size, which is generally one size less than the length of the foot. It' too large it has to be dressed down,

and when the locking arrangement is placed in the instep-block thereis dang-er of interfering with it in theoperation. If the instep is too 10W or small I add pieces of leather to supply the deficiency. When the opening D is through the comb ofthe instep, this generally causes considerable delay in removing it, on account of the `difficulty of entering the last- `hook. I obviate this by changing the posiy' tion of said opening from the comb to the heel of the instep. I now press the block into its place. After the work is finished -I apply the point of the last-hook to the end of the bolt, press it down, and remove the block. This is conveniently accomplished, as the openings D is free from obstructions.

I am aware that there are devices for securing instep-blocks to lasts similar in some respects to myimprovement.

The device patented by Daniel M. True, February 8, 1859, No. 22,904, consists in arranging the bolt and spring in the last-block. I place the bolt and spring' in the body of the last for the reasons set forth. The bolt in my improvement is more easily constructed, and

the Whole thing more substantially arranged,

than the apparatus above mentioned. I therefore disclaim all that he claims as his invention, and confine myself only to the, novel features of my improvement.

` What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isy Placing the bolt and spring in the body of the last, in combination with' the position of the vertical opening D, through the heel of the instep-block, and the mode of unlocking and detaching said block,'as described.

W. L. BEARDSLEY. Witnesses: l

G. W. PENNEPAGKER,

JOHN MoDoNALD. 

